Cultural festival · Honolulu, Oʻahu
Lei Day Celebration 2027
Hosted by City & County of Honolulu, Department of Parks and Recreation
- When
- May 1, 20279 AM – 5 PM
- Where
- Honolulu, OʻahuGet directions
- Host
- City & County of Honolulu, Department of Parks and Recreation
Sources
Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.
Date
- Saturday, May 1, 2027, 9 AM – 5 PM
What to expect
The Lei Day Celebration is the City & County of Honolulu's annual May Day festival at Kapiʻolani Park celebrating the lei and the artistry of Hawaiʻi's lei makers, anchored by a renowned Lei Contest along with island music and hula performances, lei-making workshops, and the Lei Court. First celebrated in 1928, it culminates the next morning with a closing ceremony placing contest lei on royal graves at Mauna ʻAla.
Plan your visit
- Food & vendors
- Free admission. Local artisans and merchants on site.
- Parking & access
- Free, family-friendly event held rain or shine at Kapiʻolani Park.
Farmers markets this weekend
Plan your weekend on Oahu
While you’re out for Lei Day Celebration, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
About cultural festivals
Hawaii's cultural festivals gather food, performing arts, craft, and community across a weekend or longer. Many trace to the islands' Japanese, Okinawan, and broader Asia-Pacific communities and feature taiko, hula, bon dance, and street-food booths.
Some are free block parties and some are ticketed convention-center markets. Come for the performances and stay for the food booths, craft vendors, and local-product marketplaces.
- Check admission before you go — marketplace and convention-center events may charge entry.
- Parking fills early — rideshare or transit is usually easier.
- Schedules and venues can shift year to year; confirm before you go.
What’s worth a trip this weekend
One email a week: the makers worth seeking out, pop-ups, and Hawai‘i cultural events worth planning around.